This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to an electrical connector having closely spaced terminals while still providing sizable partitions or walls between the terminals.
Generally, an electrical connector includes some form of dielectric or insulating housing defining a plurality of cavities or passages for receiving a plurality of conductive terminals usually fabricated of metal material. The terminals are terminated to various electrical components, such as discrete electrical wires, circuit boards or the like. The terminals have contact portions for engaging the terminals of a complementary mating connector.
With electrical connectors of the character described, it is necessary to separate the terminal-receiving passages in the connector housing by partitions or interior walls which are thick enough to provide good mechanical strength for the connector housing as well as adequate electrical insulation between the terminals. Unfortunately, the interior walls may significantly increase the size of a connector as the number of terminals mounted in the connector increase in number.
For instance, the terminals of the connector may be mounted in one or more rows extending longitudinally of an electrical connector housing. Each terminal in a row is separated by an interior wall. Therefore, the length of the connector is in direct proportion to the number of terminals in a row. It may be proposed to divide a row of terminals into two rows in order to reduce the length of the housing. Unfortunately, this often requires the housing to be wider than is acceptable for a given application. The present invention is directed to solving these problems or this dilemma by providing an electrical connector with closely spaced terminals longitudinally of the connector housing, while maintaining sizable interior walls between the terminals and without excessively increasing the width of the connector housing.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector of the character described.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the connector includes an insulating housing defining a longitudinal axis with two rows of terminal-receiving passages generally on opposite sides of the axis. The passages are alternatingly staggered on opposite sides of the axis, with adjacent sides of the passages in the two rows thereof overlapping along the axis. A plurality of conductive terminals are received in the passages. Each terminal includes a relatively wide body portion with a relatively narrow contact portion projecting from one side of the body portion. The terminals are disposed in the passages in alternating orientation longitudinally of the axis, whereby the contact portions of the terminals are disposed in the overlapping sides of the passages to define a single row of contact portions longitudinally of the axis.
As disclosed herein, the terminals are stamped and formed of conductive sheet metal material. The contact portion of each terminal projects from one end of the body portion thereof. A terminating portion is disposed at an opposite end of the body portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminating portion comprises a crimping section of the terminal for clamping onto an electrical wire. The contact portion may comprise a pin projecting from the one side of the body portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, a terminal retainer is operatively associated between the housing and the terminals to hold the terminals in their respective passages in the housing. The terminal retainer is mountable on the outside of the housing and includes a plurality of fingers extending into the passages in the housing and into retaining engagement with the terminals. Complementary interengaging latch means are provided between the terminal retainer and the housing.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.